The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1887-01-08
WILLIAM E. GLADSTONE
Impressions and Recollections Of
the Great Liberal


In the prime Of his manhood Mr..
Gladstone could not have been much
under six feet two inches in stature.
He Is taller than Bismarck, taller than
the Emperor William, taller than the
Crown Prince of Germany, taller than
the Gar, and these are all tall men.
But there is that in his carriage and .
way he has Of drawing himself up to
his full hei ght when excited or when
facing an audience, which makes HIM
appear even taller than he is. Physi-
cally he IL an Englishman Of English
men. His frame is firmly knit and
MASSIVE. His bones are large. His
hands and feet are not models of beau
ty. They denote strength, muscular
energy. endurance. If Mr.. Gladstone
had devoted as much attention to the
noble art of self-defense'' as James
Gordon Bennett or Roscoe Conkling
has there are not many amateurs on
this side or the other Of the Atlantic
who, even at his present advanced age,
would consider the Grand Old Man a
contemplate antagonist. The stories
about his feats with an axe are not
apocryphal. The lodge keeper at Ha-
warden pointed out to- me . woodpile
which bore testimony of his prowess.
Abe Lincoln never did better work. In
the chilly dawn the statesman repairs
to the garden and makes the chips Nv
until his face grows red with the exer-
else and his digestive organs be-
come eloquent in their appeals for
breakfast. There is no doubt at all
that this careful regard for the law
which enforces the necessity of open
air exercise, especially in the case of
men whose regular pursuits make q
heavy draft on their mental faculties,
is the secret Of his ability to endure the
prodigious strain of the last few years
without any apparent abatement Of
vital force or any failure of confidence
and cheerfulness. His head and face,
though differing from them in many
respects. strongly suggest the head and
face OF Webster. There are the same
leonine expression. the same deep set
eyes. the same massiveness of proper
tions, the same bredth and display Of
forehead, the same commanding mien
and the same stamp and assurance of
intellectual power. All men in his
presence, no matter how disposed to
criticise his political career, are con-
scious. a. all men were in the presence
Of the sage of Marshfield, of an in
fluence which has been fitly described
in the case of the latter as s'godlike. :"
Here, truly, Is man that impresses
you a. ono who, while having the fail
ings Of mortal creature, has also en-
dowments which make him but little
lower than the angels"
The long twilight Of an English June
evening was drawing to close when I
first laid eyes on William Ewart Glad
stone. The lights had not yet been lit
in the House OF Commons. The crowd
was coming and going on the great
stairway Of the Parliament buildings
! found my way into the strangers gal
lery. II was not thronged house.
No matter Of great public moment was
before the commons. Palmerston, then
lettering on the verge of the grave,
though mentally alert and vivacious,
was Premier of England. The benches
Of the ministerial and opposition forces
were but partially filed. Yet it was
an illustrious gathering. Palmerston
had the floor. He was speaking to
some question in connection with the
Elgin marbles. Incidentally he took
occasion to reply TO = criticism that had
thoroughly aroused him. His puny
form swsysd with excitement His
penetrating voice could be heard be.
yond the precincts of the chamber.
The words flowed from his mouth
perfect torrent Of eloquence and sar-
casm. just back Of him on the lower
bench little shriveled figure, almost
buried in the shadow Of . broad
brimmed felt hat satas lift were lifeless.
Presently Il moved; shand reached into
the breast cost pocket Of the coat and
draw forth vast red bandanna hand
korohief and the manikin blew it, nose
With u enerRy and resonance that
momentarily diverted attention from
the speaker. That shriveled little
figure WAS tie hguge Of Lord John
Russell. Opposite to him and seated
close 70 the fabIe which stands in front
q the Speakers chair. wae : man with
( pa1o 0livs compilation, 1T black eyeD
nd hair. AZ fkat time he did not
strike me partlouIaxly, but he was so
Iaslueesly drsssed = 70 invite com